Malicious Code Injection in inal-poke15 Package: A Threat to npm Ecosystem
Summary
MAL-2025-156399: Malicious code in inal-poke15 (npm). Affected versions are not published. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The inal-poke15 package is part of the npm ecosystem, which is widely used for JavaScript package management. This package is associated with the tea.xyz token reward campaign, which has been linked to a series of malicious activities aimed at inflating developer reputation scores. The package's functionality is compromised due to the presence of malicious scripts that manipulate its metadata and behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the inal-poke15 package stems from its inclusion in a malicious campaign that employs scripts to automatically generate and publish derivative packages with altered metadata. These scripts remove private flags from package.json, change version numbers, and create random package names, leading to pollution of the npm registry. This not only affects the integrity of the npm ecosystem but also poses risks to developers who may unknowingly use these compromised packages, potentially leading to further exploitation.
How To Fix
This package is malicious. Remove it and rotate any credentials it could have accessed.
npm uninstall inal-poke15If it arrived as a transitive dependency, remove the package that pulled it in, then reinstall.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, avoid using the inal-poke15 package and consider using alternative packages that provide similar functionality without the associated risks. Regularly audit your dependencies using tools like npm audit to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
The inal-poke15 package poses a significant threat to the npm ecosystem due to its malicious code designed to manipulate package metadata. It is crucial for developers to be vigilant, regularly audit their dependencies, and utilize tools like Vulert to monitor for vulnerabilities. Taking immediate action to remove compromised packages is essential to maintain the integrity of your projects.
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FAQ
The inal-poke15 package is an npm package that has been identified as part of a malicious campaign aimed at inflating developer reputation scores.
The malicious code modifies your project's package.json file, potentially exposing your project to further vulnerabilities and affecting its integrity.
You should uninstall the inal-poke15 package immediately and review your project's dependencies for any other compromised packages.
You can use tools like npm audit or services like Vulert, which monitors your package-lock.json for vulnerabilities in real-time.
Yes, you can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
